Draft regulator



NOV. 21-, 1933. R GOEBEL 1,935,795

DRAFT REGULATOR Filed May 29, 1930 IINVENTOR. jciwczrdfi GaeeZ \muxassz BY whxggg 2% if 12;,

A TTORNEYS Patented Nov. 21, 1933 PATENT OFFICE UNITED STATES 8 Claims.

The present invention relates to automatic regulators and more particularly to steam boiler regulators.

The main objects of the invention are to pro- 51 vide new and novel means for automatically regulating the steam pressure of a steam boiler; to provide means whereby the automatic regulation of the draft may be adjustably varied; to

provide means whereby when the steam presi sure within the boiler falls below a predetermined pressure the draft is automatically opened and when it rises to a predetermined pressure the draft is automatically closed; and, to generally provide new and novel means for eifecting the purposes above set forth.

An illustrative embodiment of the'invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

The figure is a fragmentary front elevational view of a standard type of steam boiler and the 2' I novel combination of devices for effecting the desired results above outlined.

In a number of-various kinds and types of plants and factories, it is essential for various reasons that boiler steam pressures remain be- 253 tween rather limited maximum and minimum pressures. A number of devices foraccomplishing this general purpose are now and have been on the market but for various reasons, it has been impracticable to maintain such steam pressure '301 within rather restricted limits by automatic devices. 'The invention herein shown, described and claimed employs primarily a pressure relief valve and ahydraulic lift connected with a steam boiler for automatically regulating the steam pressure within the boiler. By varying the length and diameter of the hydraulic lift, the steam pressure may be maintained between a very limited maximum and minimum pressure and the rapidity with which the draft door is 140; opened andclosed can likewise be readily regulated as will hereinafter appear.

Referring to'the drawing,' a standard type boiler, generally designated 1, is provided with the usual laterally swingable feed door 2, up-

wardly swingable draft door'3, chimney stack 4 and its damper 5, a steam pressure gauge 6, and a water level gauge 7.-

A steam line generally designated 8 and having a manually adjustable shutoff valve 9 and a manually adjustable pressure relief valve 10 therein, is connected'to a hydraulic U-tube lift 10 by suitable means such as the elbow union 11. This relief valve 10 functions to open and allow steam to flow from the boiler past the valve into the steam line'when thepressure within the boiler reaches or. exceeds a pre-determined amount, to-wit, has reached or exceeds a pressure according to which the relief valve 10 has been manually adjusted. The U-tube 10 when installed is filled with a given or predetermined amount of water 12 depending upon its diameter and length. Secured to the other end of the U-tube is a cylinder 13 having a piston 14 therein provided with a plunger 15. A quantity of oil 16 is likewise introduced into the U-tube before installation and the pet cock 17 is provided for draining or altering the liquid level within the U-tube.

A steam release line 18 is also connected to the steam line 8, by suitable means such as the T-union 19, between the pressure relief valve 10 and the U-tube. This release line is provided with a steam injector 20 of the usual type whose nozzle projects inside the feed door 2 serving the dual purpose of not only supplying live steam to the combustion chamber of the boiler for combustion purposes but also providing incidental means of allowing the steam to escape from the steam line 8 when the pressure relief valve 10 closes. A manually operable so valve 22 within the release line 18 is provided for adjustably varying the rapidity with which the draft 3 closes as will hereinafter be more fully explained. The adjustably varying or positioning of the manually operable valve 22 may 5 be considered as effecting a controlled retarding escape of steam entrapped by the closing of the pressure relief valve 10 whereby the consequent functioning of the hydraulic lift and its time period for effecting a consequent positioning of the dampers, operated thereby and be controlled, regulated or varied.

A bifurcated piston operated arm 23 is pivotally mounted to the outer end of the plunger 15 intermediate its ends and a link 24 is pivotally mounted to the laterally projecting arm 25 and to the end of the non-bifurcated portion of the arm 23. The lower bifurcated portion of the arm 23 is provided with a plurality of notches 26 for the variable adjustment of the counter-balance weight 2'7 and the upper bifurcated portion or" the arm 23 is provided with a plurality of apertures 28 for adjustably securing the cord or link chain 29 running over the pulleys 30, 31 and connected at its-other endwith the draft door 3 by means of the arm 32. Means for opening and closing the chimney damper 5 comprise a chain 34 secured to the cord 29 intermediate the pulleys'30, 31 and passing-over the pulley 35. A weight 36 for'holding the damper regulating chain 34 taut steam pressures.

When the steam pressure within the boiler falls to a predetermined level, the pressure relief valve closes and the weight 27 on the bifurcated arm 23 forces the piston downwardly and the draft door 3 is thus caused to slowly open.

A portion of the live steam within the steam" line 8 flows through the steam release line 18 when the pressure relief valve is open. This live steam is injected into the combustion chamber of the boiler through the nozzle of the injector 20 to assist combustion. When the pressure relief valve closes, the steam within the steam line 8 between the pressure relief valve 10 and the U-tube is permitted to escape through the steam release line 18 into the combustion chamber and the rapidity with which the draft door 3 is thus permitted to close is determined by the manually adjustable valve 22.

During the opening and closing movement of the draft door 3, the damper 5 is automatically closed and opened respectively by means of the damper regulating chain 34 which is secured to the cord 29.

The pressure relief element 10 is of the usual type, embodying a spring actuated valve adapted to be manually adjusted to vary the resistance to the steam pressure. One leg of the U-tube 19 is connected directly to the steam line 8, whereas the other leg is connected to the cylinder 13 of the hydraulic lift, which is located above the highest part of the steam line. I

The use of a steam line and hydraulic lift in combination with a steam boiler can likewise be utilized to effect the general idea of regulating For example, this invention may be utilized in the automatic feeding of coal or fuel oil to the boiler through the use of electrically operated mechanical means. Other applications of this invention will likewise be readily apparent and it will be understood of course, that the diameter of the hydraulic U-tube lift may be increased and its length shortened and thus made more compact, yet the same result will be effected.

It will thus be seen that the device or structure herein shown and described provides new and novel means for effecting the results herein required and set forth. While but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described, it will beunderstood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim: r

1. Means for regulating the draft of a steam boiler, the same comprising a hydraulic lift, a

steam line connecting the hydraulic lift with the boiler, a relief valve in thesteam line which opens when a predetermined pressure is reached and which when open allows a flow of steam for operating the hydraulic lift, and a valve controlled pressure release connected to the steam line and leading from the place which is between the relief valve and hydraulic lift, the valve in said valve controlled pressure release being at all times open according to adjusted position for the purpose of permitting a controlled flow from the steam line of a portion of the steam flowing thereto through the relief valve when the relief valve is open and for permitting an escape of steam from within the steam pipe when the pressure relief valve closes and for thereby regulating the rapidity with which the resulting operation of the hydraulic lift takes place.

2. Means for regulating the draft of a steam boiler, the same comprising a hydraulic lift, a U-tube having one leg connected to the hydraulic lift, a steam line having a relief valve through which steam from the boiler flows into the steam line when the pressure within the boiler reaches a pre-determined amount, which steam line is connected with the other leg of the U-tube, the

steam line, the hydraulic lift, and the U-tube at their points of connection being positioned above the Water level in the boiler, and a continuouslyopen valve-controlled pressure release leading from the steam line from a location which is between the relief valve and hydraulic lift.

3. Means for regulating the draft of a steam boiler, the same comprising a hydraulic lift, a steam line positioned above the water level in the boiler and connecting the hydraulic lift with the boiler, a shut-off valve, and an automatic pressure relief valve in the length of the steam line and which permits flow of steam from the boiler into the steam line, and a pressure release line connected with the steam line at a point between the pressure relief valve and the hydraulic lift and which pressure release line is always maintained open to an adjusted extent so as to function to permit the escape of steam from within the steam pipe when the automatic pressure relief valve is open and even after the automatic pressure relief valve has closed.

4. Means for regulating the draft of a steam boiler, the same comprising a hydraulic lift connected with the draft controlling means of the boiler furnace, a U-tube having one leg connected with the hydraulic lift, a steam line connecting the other leg of the U-tube with the boiler, the hydraulic lift, and the U-tube at their points of connection being positioned above the water level in the boiler, a shut-off valve, and an automatic pressure relief valve in the steam line and which opens to permit flow of steam from the boiler intothe steam line when the steam pressure within the boiler reaches a pre-determined amount, a pressure release line connected with the steam line between the U-tube and themessure relief valve, and a pressure release valve in the length of the pressure release line for regulating the discharge, which pressure release valve is adjustably positioned so as to permit a controlled escape or discharge of steam from within the steam pipe at all times when the pressure relief valve is open and for permitting a retarded escape of entrapped steam after the pressure relief valve has closed.

5. Means for regulating the draft of a steam boiler, the same comprising a hydraulic lift, a lever associated with the hydraulic lift to be actuated thereby and comprising spaced members, means adjustably connecting one of the lever members with the draft controlling elements of the boiler furnace, a counterbalance adjustable on the other lever member, a U-tube having one leg connected with the hydraulic lift, a steam line connecting the other leg of the U-tube with the boiler, a shut-off valve and an automatic pressure relief valve in the steam line, which automatic pressure relief valve when open permits a flow of steam'from the boiler past the valve into the steam line, a pressure release line connected with the steam line between the U -tube and the pressure relief valve, and a valve in the length of the pressure release line for regulating the discharge, which last mentioned valve is for permitting a controlled discharge of steam through the pressure release line even after a closing of the pressure relief valve.

6. Means for regulating the draft of a steam boiler, the same comprising a hydraulic lift, a U-tube containing a predetermined amount of liquid in both legs thereof, and having one of its legs connected to the hydraulic lift, a steam line connected with the boiler and to the other leg of the U-tube, the steam line, the hydraulic lift and the U-tube at their points of connection being positioned above the water level in the boiler, an automatic pressure relief valve and a shut-off valve in the steam line intermediate of the boiler and hydraulic lift, whereby the valve may open and close according to the amount of pressure within the boiler, the said pressure passing through the steam line into the U-tube and causing the liquid therein to operate the hydraulic lift, and a valve in the length of the pressure release line for regulating the discharge.

'7. Means for regulating the draft of a steam boiler, the same comprising a hydraulic lift, a steam line connecting the hydraulic lift with the boiler, a relief valve in the steam line which opens when a predetermined pressure is reached and. which when open allows a flow of steam for operating the hydraulic lift, and a valve controlled pressure release connected to the steam line and leading from the place which is between the relief valve and hydraulic lift, the valve in said valve controlled pressure release being open according to adjusted position for the purpose of permitting a controlled flow from the steam line of a portion of the steam flowing thereto through the relief valve when the relief valve is open and for permitting an escape of steam from within the steam pipe when the pressure relief valve closes and for thereby regulating the rapidity with which the resulting operation of the hydraulic lift takes place.

8. Means for regulating the draft of a steam boiler, the same comprising a hydraulic lift, a U-tube containing a predetermined amount of liquid in both legs thereof, and having one of its legs connected to the hydraulic lift, a steam line connected with the boiler and to the other leg of the U-tube, the steam line, the hydraulic lift and the U-tube at their points of connection with the boiler being positioned above the water level in the boiler, an automatic pressure relief valve in the steam line intermediate of the boiler and hydraulic lift, whereby the valve may open and close according to the amount of pressure within the boiler, the said pressure passing through the steam lineiinto the U-tube and causing the liquid therein to operate'the hydraulic lift, and a valve in the length of the pressure release line for regulating the discharge.

EDWARD F. GOEBEL. 

